Refrigerating coil



Sept. 21, 1937.

c. G. BACH REFRIGERATING COIL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 7, 1956 I I IINVENTOR. I Q W 5 W ATTORNEY] Sept. 21, 1937. c, G EACH 1 2,093,825

REFRIGERATING COIL Filed May 7, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 C, I ViNTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 21, 1937 UNITED STATEfi means PATENT ori-" ceREFRIGERATING COIL Charles G. Bach, Whitefish Bay, Wis., assignor,

y nance Corporation,

mesne assignments, to Reconstruction Fi- Chicago, 111., a corporationApplication May '1, 1936, Serial No. 78,356

8 Claims.

coil which is simple and compact in construction,

and which is also highly efiioient in operation.

It has long been common practice in the art of refrigeration to utilizeso-called boiler type coils for the purpose of cooling liquid such asbrine. In these brine cooling systems, the brine is circulated through acoil comprising a series of elongated pipes having their opposite endsattached to headers and within which the refrigerant is confined, theopposite ends of the pipes and the corresponding headers being locatedat different elevations and the medial portions of the pipes extendingsubstantially horizontally. The prior coils of this type are undesirablybulky and therefore necessitate the use of relatively large propellersand driving motorsin order to insure effective circulation of thebrine;and all of the prior coil structures aremoreover diflicult tomanufacture, assemble and repair. The previous brine cooling coils aremoreover relatively inefiicient because of the faulty disposition of theend headers and resultant necessary restriction in size thereof, and theprior coils are also relatively costly and. subject to excessiveleakage.

The present invention therefore contemplates provision of an improvedcoil assemblage of the boiler type, which obviates all of thedefects ofthe previous coils, and which has far greater cooling capacity per unitof space occupied.

Another specific object of my present invention is to provide a new anduseful refrigerating coil structure, which can be readily manufactured,assembled and dismantled, and thus maintained free from leaks.

A further-specific object of the invention is r the provision ofimproved disposition of the headers for boiler type refrigerating coils,whereby maximum heat transfer surface is made available with connectingpipes of minimum length.

Still another specific object of my invention involves the provision ofa'cooling coil for liquid or gas, which will permit the use of a'relatively small circulating propeller and driving motor in order toinsure circulation at velocities which will result in most efficientfunctioning of the apparatus.

An additional specific object of the invention is to provide an improvedcoil assemblage wherein the suction headers at the propeller 'end of thecoil may be disposed in contact with each other so as to provide anenclosed conduit for augmenting the entrance velocity of the brine.

Another specific object of my invention is to provide an improved coilassemblage which can be manufactured and maintained at minimum cost, andwhich is far superior in many "respects to the prior similar types ofcoils.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following detailed description.

A clear conception of the several features constituting the presentimprovement, and of the mode of constructing and of utilizingrefrigerating coils built in accordance with my invention, may be had byreferring to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of thisspecification wherein like reference characters designate the same orsimilar parts in the various views.

Fig l is a perspective view of one of the improved refrigerating coils,showing the same completely assembled but removed from the brine tank;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal Ltransverse section through the risersof the individual suction headers of the coil, the section being takenalong the line 22 of Fig; 1-;

Fig. 3 is a similarly enlarged side elevation of the suction end of theimproved coil;

Fig. 4 is a top View of one of thenew coils showing the same applied ina brine cooling system; and a Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the coil andbrine cooling system, showing the brine tank in section.

While the invention has beenshown and described herein as beingspecifically applied to a boiler-type of coil especially adapted to coolliquid such as brine, it is not the intent'to thereby unnecessarilyrestrict the scope, since at least some of the improved features aremore'generally' applicable to coils of other types for cooling gasessuch as air.

Referring to the drawing, system to which the invention has been appliedis of the flooded type and comprises in general a coil consisting of aseries of substantially horizontal pipes 8 having their lower endsconnected to supply headers 9 and their upper ends similarly connectedto suction headers l0; a refrigerant supply tank and accumulator Hhaving its lower end connected to the coil supply headers 9 by a liquidrefrigerant supply pipe l2 and its upper the refrigerating portionconnected to the coil suction headers I 8 by a gas return pipe l3through collecting headers M; a tank l5 having a partition 16 forming aconduit within which the coil is located; and a propeller H forconstantly circulating the brine or other liquid through the conduit andin intimate contact with the coil pipes 8.

The pipes 8 of the improved coil are disposed in both vertical andhorizontal rows being spaced slightly out of contact with each other,and the opposite end portions of these pipes 8 extend downwardly andupwardly away from the more closely nested medial horizontal portionsthereof and are permanently welded to the headers 9, II] respectively.The lower refrigerant supply headers 9 extend cross-wise beneath; thedownwardly directed ends of the pipes 8 and maybe spaced slightly fromeach other as shown; and the corresponding ends of these headers 9 aredetachably connected to the supply pipe l2 at a freely accessibleportion of the side of the coil, by means of. bolts and flanges asclearly shown in Figs. 1 and l. The'upper suction headers I extendtransversely across the upwardly directed gas delivery, ends ofthe pipes8 and are preferably disposed in substantial contact with each other soas to form a closure at the top of the propeller end of thecoil. Thecorresponding upper ends of the pipes 8 may be welded or otherwisepermanently secured to the suction headers I 0, and these headers havealternately offset'or staggered gas discharge riser pipes l8 which aredetachably connected to the lower portions of the collectingheaders M bymeans of flanges and bolts as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Theparallel collecting headers M are detachably connected to the upperportion of the accumulator I I by means of the two-part return pipe l3,and the headers 9, l0, I4 as Well as the pipes l2, l3, l8 should be ofsuflicient capacity to permit unrestricted supply and return of therefrigerant.

The accumulator H is of well known construction, being provided with afresh refrigerant supply line H! and a float actuated control valve 20for regulating the admission of refrigerant in accordance withvariations in level of the liquid within the accumulator II. Thepipes'l2, I3 are in openJcommunication with the accumulator, andsuitable shut-off valves may be provided wherever desired. The propellerI1 is also of well known construction, being located in a brine inlethousing 2| andoperable by an electric motor 22. Thepartition l6 which islocated within the brine tank l5, extends along the side of the coilfrom the housing 2| to the series of lower headers 9, as shown in Figs.4 and 5, thereby leaving a brine outlet opening 23 at the ends of thepipes 8 above the headers 9. A top closure 24 may also be provided abovethe coil, but this closure should preferably avoid constricting the areaof the conduit within which the coil is located, and the direction offlow of the brine circulated by the propeller l1 is'indicated by arrowsin Figs. 4 and 5.

During normal operation of the refrigerating system shown inthe'drawings, liquid refrigerant is being'delivered to the headers 9 andpipes 8 from the accumulator I I through the supply pipe l2, and gaseousrefrigerant is being returned to the accumulator H through the headersI0, risers l8, collecting headers M andreturn'pipe l3, in a well knownmanner. The propeller I1 is being operated by themotor 22 'tocirculatebrine from the tank iIS throu'gh the housing2l and along thepipes'B. The brine travels at'relatively high velocity as it passesthrough the restricted concluit bounded on top by the suction headers10, and upon leaving the restricted zone, the velocity is somewhatreduced and the brine builds up to a higher level as shown by thedot-and-dash line in Fig. 5. As the flow reaches the delivery opening 23beyond the end of the partition I6, the brine passes laterally of thecoil into the main body of the tank I from whence it is ultimatelyrecirculated by the propeller IT. The brine is thus repeatedly cooled bydirect contact with the pipes 8 and headers 9, I 0, in a most eflicientmanner.

The construction of the main coil including the formation of the pipes 8and the disposition of the headers 9, ll], permits relativelyunobstructed flow of the brine through the coil at sumciently highvelocity to insure most effective heat transfer. The suction headers I 0form an effective deck for'insuring maximum velocity of flow nearest thepropeller H, and the decrease in velocity beyond this deck providesample time for subsequent cooling. ,The improved formation anddisposition of the'pipes 8 and headers 9, I0 also accommodates expansionand contraction without introducing leakage, and the detachableconnections between the headersQ, l0 and the pipes l2, l3 respectivelypermit most convenient and rapid assembly and dismantling of the coilstruc ture. These detachable connections are obviously located wherethey are readily accessible, and the headers'and piping may be made of,sufiicient size to insure efiective operation by virtue of thetransverse disposition of the former. The staggered location of theriser pipes 18 also permits the headers IE! to be placed closelyadjacent each other, and the entire coil assemblage is obviously.simple, compact and durable.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that my presentinvention provides a boiler-type of refrigerating coil which besidesbeing simple in construction, is also highly efl.i. cient in use. Theimproved coil structure may obviously be readily manufactured andinstalled at relatively low cost, andthe elimination of obstructionsbetween and around the pipes 8 permits free and rapid circulation of thebrine with the aid of a relatively small propeller l1 and motor 22. Forthis reason a relatively small and compact coil assemblage will insuremost efiicient heat transfer per unit of space occupied; and theaccessibility of the joints permits convenient repairing of leaks. Thecoil assemblage may in some instances, be welded throughout, thusomitting the detachable flanged connections; and the collecting headersl4 may obviously be associated with the ends of the transverse suctionheaders ID in cases where less head room is available, and the twoheaders l4 may also be replaced by a single larger collecting header ifso desired. The improved coil has proven highly successful in actualcommercial use, and is far. superior to prior coils of the same generalclass.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the presentinvention to the exact details of construction and to the precise modeof use herein shown and described, for various modifications within thescope of the appended claims mayoccur to, persons skilled in the art.

1. A refrigerating coil, comprising, laterally spaced groups of conduitseach comprising a series of pipes lying in a vertical planeand each pipehaving downwardly and upwardly directed opposite end p'ortions,-a seriesof headers permanently attached to the lower ends of corresponding pipesof said groups, a common refrigerant supply pipe detachably connectedwith corresponding ends of all of said headers, a second series ofsubstantially contacting headers permanently attached to the upper endsof corresponding pipes of said groups, and laterally spaced c01- lectingheaders connecting alternate headers of said second series.

2. A refrigerating coil, comprising, several groups of substantiallyhorizontal pipes lying in parallel vertical planes and each havingdownwardly and upwardly directed opposite end portions, closelyadjoining parallel headers connecting the lower ends of correspondingpipes of said groups and extending across said planes, other closelyadjoining parallel headers connecting the upper ends of thecorresponding pipes of said groups and also extending across saidplanes, and refrigerant supply and exhaust pipes detachably connected tosaid lower and upper headers respectively.

3. A refrigerating coil, comprising, several groups of pipes disposed insuperimposed substantially horizontal planes and each having downwardlyand upwardly directed opposite end portions, a header connecting thelower ends of the pipes of each group, and another header connecting theupper ends of the pipes of each group, all of said headers beingdisposed parallel to each other and extending transversely across thecoil.

4. A refrigerating coil, comprising, several groups of pipes disposed insuperimposed substantially horizontal planes and each having downwardlyand upwardly directed opposite end portions, a header connecting thelower ends of the pipes of each group, and another header connecting theupper ends of the pipes of each group, the upper headers lying closetogether to provide a deck at the adjacent coil ends.

5. A refrigerating coil, comprising, superimposed groups of pipesdisposed in substantially horizontal planes and each having oppositelydirected opposite ends, parallel headers connecting the ends of thepipes of each group and extending transversely across the coil, andrefrigerant supply and discharge pipes detachably associated with saidheaders and extending longitudinally of the coil.

6. A refrigerating coil, comprising, several groups of pipes disposed insuperimposed substantially horizontal planes and having theircorresponding inlet end portions directed downwardly, a headerpermanently attached to the lower ends of the pipes of each group andextending transversely across the coil, and a common refrigerant supplypipe detachably connected to all of said headers at one side of thecoil.

'7. A refrigerating coil, comprising, groups of pipes disposed insuperimposed substantially horizontal planes and having theircorresponding end portions directed upwardly, a header permanentlyattached to the upper ends of the pipes of each group and extendingtransversely across the coil, and gas collecting means detachablyconnected to the upper medial portions of said headers.

8. A refrigerating coil,

comprising, several groups of pipes disposed in superimposedsubstantially horizontal planes and having their corresponding endportions directed upwardly, a header permanently attached to the upperends of the pipes of each group and extending laterally of the pipes,and gas collecting means detachably connected to the upper medialportions of said headers, said headers lying in substantial contact witheach other to provide a deck above the discharge ends of said pipes.

CHARLES G. BACH.

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